C h a n g e s at t h e D i n n e r Tab l e a n d B e y o n d Nourishing Our Patients Throughout the Trajectory of Their Cancer Journey Amy Lewis Madnick, MSW, LCSWa,*, Elizabeth Grace Morasso, MSW, LCSWb KEYWORDS  Nutrition  Coping  Psychosocial  Patient-centered care  Decision-making  Support system  Survivorship  End-of-life KEY POINTS  Viewing clinical roles as nourishing, as opposed to strictly focused on medical management, acknowledges patients’ and families existing strengths that may assist themselves and the medical team in overcoming physiologic and psychosocial obstacles presented over the course of patient’s illness.  Patient-centered care practices involving all members of the HNC team assist in achieving the best possible outcomes given patients’ health status.  Concrete and psychosocial assessment and interventions should be considered when addressing patients’ nutritional needs.  There are significant psychosocial implications of diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis to be considered across the illness trajectory, including surveillance/survivorship and end-of-life.

INTRODUCTION

Patient-centered care involves accounting for what is meaningful and valuable to a patient to achieve the best possible outcome.1 Medical oncology, especially, has led improvements in integrative care with the formation of multidisciplinary care teams, inclusion of ancillary assessments, and patient-centered interventions. It is now acknowledged that distress screening can help identify barriers to optimal care and recovery. Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) may experience various

Disclosure Statement: The authors have nothing to disclose. a Department of Care Coordination and Clinical Social Work, UCLA Health, 757 Westwood Plaza, B788, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; b Department of Radiation Oncology, UCLA Health, 200 Medical Plaza, B265, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] Otolaryngol Clin N Am 50 (2017) 825–836 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.otc.2017.04.003 0030-6665/17/ª 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

oto.theclinics.com

826

Madnick & Morasso

functional impairments from diagnosis and treatment. Biopsychosocial functioning across the illness trajectory (ie, speaking, swallowing, breathing, taste, smell, and facial disfigurement) puts patients at higher risk of emotional distress, including symptoms of depression and anxiety, than other cancers, most likely associated with changes or loss of these functions.2,3 Although distress screening may identify patients who require thorough biopsychosocial assessment and intervention, all new patients with HNC deserve to receive support from allied health professionals to cope with practical and psychosocial issues presented from diagnosis through survivorship, such as management of nutritional needs and discharge planning following surgery. As noted by Marion F. Winkler, surgical nutrition specialist at Rhode Island Hospital and assistant professor at Brown University in a well-known lecture: “We learn so much from our patients and their families when we listen to their concerns, when we put aside our own biases and beliefs, and when we expand our focus.”4 Although referring to integrative nutritional practices, this concept is applicable to care provided by all members of a multidisciplinary HNC team and promotes nourishment of patients’ whole selves. OVERVIEW

Starting at diagnosis, it is of value to all members of the HNC team, including surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, mental health professionals, swallowing/speech therapists, maxillofacial prosthodontics, and nurses, and chaplains, to encourage nourishment of patient and family medical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Thorough assessments enhance patient care, promoting optimal outcomes through increased understanding of the disease process and treatment options, healthy cognitive and emotional processing, informed decision-making, compliance to treatment plan, maintenance of nutritional and other basic needs, and perceived value in follow-up and surveillance. Viewing clinical roles as nourishing, as opposed to strictly focused on medical management, acknowledges patient and family strengths that may assist themselves and the medical team in overcoming obstacles presented over the course of a patient’s illness. NUTRITION

A vital piece of the HNC treatment plan is nourishment of patient nutritional needs because they are fundamental physiologic requirements and primary sources of motivation in any organism’s lifespan. When unsatisfied, higher-level objectives, such as processing one’s illness, decision-making, motivation, and maintenance of health needs, become more difficult to obtain. Nutrition is essential to life from birth. In addition, one’s experience with nutrition, beginning in the womb, offers some of the first pleasurable experiences. All patients present with existing schemas around food-related decision-making, such as what they like to eat, how much and when they like to eat, or a routine of what eating looks like in their everyday practices. Nutrition is an area where patients have previously practiced control. “Moreover, eating is a fundamentally rewarding behavior, and is thus intrinsically linked to mood and emotions.”5 When one’s control over decision-making or routine is altered because of health status, it often serves as another loss. Nutrition is a primary concern of all patients with cancer because it affects strength, ability, and psychological and emotional health. Despite considerable improvements in treatments for HNC, demands of treatment and disease state impact one’s ability to maintain caloric and essential nutrient baselines, necessitating nutrition

Changes at the Dinner Table and Beyond

optimization. Insufficient intake and processing may be caused by changes in taste, xerostomia or increase in saliva production, mucositis or general mouth/throat discomfort, dysphagia, nausea/vomiting, poor appetite, and/or increase in metabolic rate. Assessment of these side effects should be performed across the illness trajectory because they affect physiologic health and overall enjoyment and motivation associated with eating and drinking. Adjustments in nutritional intake can differ greatly from previously pleasurable experiences. Alternative methods to providing nourishment, such as enteral nutrition or adjustments to oral diet, may be needed. Whether patients require special food preparation, such as use of a blender, decrease in bite size, slower intake of food and drink, or bolus enteral feedings, these tasks are often labor intensive or triggers of emotions related to one’s health status. Patients lacking energy, motivation, or caregiver support, for example, often are overwhelmed with these responsibilities. Beyond individual and psychological factors affecting nutritional practices lay family, socioeconomic and cultural considerations. Many family and societal rituals and values are centered on eating and meaning of mealtimes. Culturally, individual foods and mealtime practices have incredible significance. When patients cannot eat “normally” and participate in these activities, there is considerable impact psychologically on the patient, and socially on the family and larger system. Just as an infant’s first experience of attachment and bonding occurs at the breast or bottle, it is around the dinner table that patients develop relationships with others. Loss of pleasure and meaning in eating, added stress of a sometimes-complicated nutritional intake, and embarrassment and shame with drooling and/or difficulty eating are life changing and isolating for many patients and families. Wu and colleagues3 report that trouble with social eating remained a primary factor related to depression at the 6-month interval of their study, demonstrating the significance of food, eating, and nutrition for these patients, despite cancer-related impairment of physical functions. MIND, BODY, AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS ACROSS THE ILLNESS TRAJECTORY

Across the illness trajectory it is essential to acknowledge all aspects of the patient and their support system. There are many opportunities for patients to receive support from all members of the HNC team, optimizing curative or palliative treatment plans and allowing patients to cope with the challenges they face in a constructive way. Presentation of Symptoms

From a physiologic perspective, it is important to consider such characteristics as severity and length of symptoms, prior health history and practices, how symptoms were identified, and genetic components/family history. Although these items assist the medical team in assessment, they also provide information on potential risk factors affecting patient’s illness course. These items serve as triggers for involvement from ancillary staff, such as registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) or mental health professionals. Inclusion of these staff members on presentation assists the team in understanding how patients are coping with indications of disease, underlying mental health or cognitive concerns, how patients understand the potential disease process, how patients learn best (ie, visually, small amounts of information at a time, through sound, or reading), and what it means to become a patient with cancer, all of which may affect engagement in care and clinical outcome. Socially, one may note who arrives with the patient for their first appointment, if anyone in patient’s support system is aware of their experience and concerns, and what logistical and emotional support they can provide to the patient.

827

828

Madnick & Morasso

Nutrition management begins at presentation of symptoms. Ongoing assessment and discussion from providers and involvement of RDN reinforces the importance of patient and family understanding of biologic and emotional benefits of proper nutrition. Patient age, height, weight, ideal weight, weight loss history, and current psychosocial status should be considered when formulating goals of patient and medical team. Additional evaluation includes allergies; cultural preferences; usual diet; food preferences; financial abilities; existing tools, such as blenders or cutlery; and patient role and/or motivation in preparing food at home. Medical or RDN staff may also assess preference around special dietary needs or practices, such as vegetarianism or veganism, interest or need in gluten or dairy-free products, and/or desire for more natural foods. Of note, these products are often more expensive and rarely covered by insurance plans. Partnerships with proprietors have proved beneficial, because many are not well established in medical settings. Sales personnel may be open to providing financial assistance, samples, and more extensive information about their product for medical and RDN staff evaluation. Assessment and support from the HNC team around techniques to improve control over intake may assist in improving fulfillment of nutritional needs. Some patients, for example, find solace in preparing foods themselves, whereas others may ask for assistance. Nourishing one’s self with meaningful food items, such as homemade chicken soup prepared by a family member or friend, may fill a void emotionally and physiologically. Some patients even report positive sensations following behaviors like burping after a special enteral meal, such as pureed chicken soup, which, although not socially acceptable, may assist in reassociating with positive feelings around certain food or drink. Families may also create new rituals allowing for similar bonding opportunities, such as playing board games or a game of cards together. Such interventions achieve similar goals as mealtime and remove potentially negative emotional reactions. It is important to acknowledge variations in patient experiences, because some may desire to remain a part of the table to enjoy smells and other sensory experiences, whereas others may prefer distraction by activities that do not bring attention to the unattainable. Involvement of the multidisciplinary team, including RDNs and mental health professionals, can assist in addressing logistical and emotional challenges surrounding maintenance of nutritional needs. One intervention that has shown promise is mindful eating, which can assist with transition to oral intake following completion of treatment.6 In addition, motivational interviewing techniques can empower patients to implement realistic goals and better engage in their compliance.7 Participation in support groups or engagement with other patients with HNC may offer concrete solutions to obstacles around mealtime and improve quality of life.8 Engagement in Care and Diagnosis

At this point in the trajectory, a fight or flight response is often observed. Fight or flight refers to the biologic response highly associated with psychological reactions of patients to information surrounding negative changes in their health status. Wu and colleagues3 found that, when confronted with an HNC diagnosis, anticipatory anxiety, overwhelming information, distractibility, and poor sleep were commonly seen. When highly anxious at time of engagement, patients are often unable to process information in a meaningful way and apply it to such items as decision-making around treatment planning or consideration of logistical concerns, such as transportation, need for care giving, or employment. Patients who arrive with an attentive family member or friend to ensure processing of information, assist in documentation and scheduling of appointments, or ask questions for clarification have an opportunity to return

Changes at the Dinner Table and Beyond

to this information at a more cognitively appropriate time. Many patients require postconsultation follow-up, pretreatment appointments, or telephone consultation to ensure understanding and informed decision-making. Patients with intellectual impairments or psychiatric illnesses may have greater difficulty processing this information. Proper evaluation, with consideration of potential symptoms of underlying diagnosis, such as difficulty speaking or hearing, is a crucial element of assessment for all team members. Thorough assessments should be performed to identify potential risk factors related to follow-up, such as housing, transportation, and childcare to provide optimal patient-centered care. Initial visits with newly diagnosed patients are also ideal times for the HNC team to engage around what gives patients joy and meaning to incorporate into treatment plans and overall engagement. Acknowledgment of patient’s future goals, hobbies, interests, and passions can significantly affect a patient’s experience while hospitalized or undergoing treatment, providing comfort and motivation to participate actively in their care. In the inpatient setting, this may include encouraging families to bring personal items to the bedside, such as a comfortable pillow or throw, or printing photographs to decorate a patient’s room. Patients who enjoy the outdoors, for example, and experience claustrophobia may experience improved mood if arrangements are made for transport outdoors or incorporation of nature-related items in treatment spaces. These personalized and creative interventions remind patients that the HNC team recognizes their self-worth and is making efforts to incorporate this into a sometimes seemingly undignified treatment plan. Treatment Plan and Decision-Making

As patients and families engage in decision-making regarding treatment, it is beneficial to understand their values and priorities around comfort and quality of life. Whether a patient is undergoing surgery or chemoradiation, there is opportunity to enhance autonomy and empowerment of the family unit. A patient’s age, health and mental health, culture, history, strengths, vulnerabilities, family and support system, what they value, and their goals for their future should be considered as planning is initiated. An essential piece of preparing patients is acknowledging physiologic and emotional losses and general adjustments caused by diagnosis and treatment. The way patients and their support systems are educated and prepared for what comes next makes a difference in coping.9 All team members can empower patients with thorough assessments, education, and resources related to their discipline for the best outcome possible given patient illness. Anticipating patient needs is indispensable to effective treatment planning and assists in preparing for potentially uncomfortable transitions. In the inpatient setting, this often requires preparation for transition home or to a facility that can best address patient safety and health needs. In the outpatient setting, this may mean longer consultation and treatment planning visits and involvement of ancillary staff to assist with the emotional impact of cancer and pros and cons of each treatment or palliative option. For many patients, logistical items are of primary concern and affect ability to make informed decisions around treatment planning. Many interventions for patients with HNC present financial implications, which are important to address and incorporate at each stage of treatment planning and implementation. Patient education and acknowledgment from the medical team around importance of learning how to navigate insurance or knowing who can assist with this and other financial-related issues can prevent complications when patients and families are most vulnerable. Involvement of discharge planners, case managers, and/or social workers as soon as possible contributes greatly in decreasing anxiety

829

830

Madnick & Morasso

and use of limited team resources. Ancillary staff can also assist the medical team in understanding parameters of patient benefits and financial status. Treatment Surgery

For patients undergoing surgery alone, or before radiation and/or chemotherapy/immunotherapy, there are many practical and emotional items that patients and their families/ support system must consider. It is imperative that each member of the health care team assist the patient and family in understanding psychosocial and physiologic needs and ensuring appropriate self-care predischarge. For many patients receiving surgery, acceptance and negotiation of “a new reality” include stressors, such as unexpected nature of significant procedures, adjustment to dysphagia and other physical side effects, medical trauma, body image, compliance with postsurgery needs including nutrition, and coordination of discharge planning. It is important to acknowledge that not all patients have healthy support systems that provide assistance with these needs. Discharge planning

Comprehensive discharge planning is essential for all patients receiving inpatient attention. This includes arrangements for safe travel home or to a facility; coordination of follow-up or consultation visits with specialties, such as medical oncology or radiation oncology; and assessment of ability to meet basic needs, such as housing, food, clean recovery area, and emotional support. Nutrition also plays a large role in discharge planning because many patients require arrangements for enteral feeding supplies, support around adjustments to oral diet, tracheostomy and laryngectomy care, and wound care. In addition, patients may have surgical wounds that are disfiguring and require proper attention. Scars may trigger emotional reactions and are a concrete reminder of patient diagnosis, present state, and prognosis. Patients may also look to reactions of family and friends to gauge extent of disfigurement, depending on them to provide emotional support and positive reinforcement for their rehabilitation.10 Skilled nursing and subacute facilities

Although returning home is desired by most patients, for some, the lack or loss of a home or insufficient support system may make this unrealistic after surgery or hospitalization for cancer symptoms. Accepting the reality of a caregiver, especially for those who identify as independent, and placement in an institutional setting can be difficult to accept. Ancillary staff, such as a discharge planner, care coordinator, case manager, or social worker in the hospital setting, can assist the patient and family in making realistic decisions following assessment of patient health and safety. Insurance coverage for chemotherapy/immunotherapy and radiation while coordinating these placements often presents significant barriers. These facilities may be hesitant to admit patients receiving treatment or planning on receiving these interventions because of limitations in insurance billing structures. Medicare, for example, considers skilled nursing facility (SNF) placement a “carve out” benefit, resulting in little to no financial reimbursement for those receiving chemoradiation. Advocacy from medical and ancillary staff may be required to ensure patient postdischarge needs are fulfilled. Partnering with facilities that are affiliated with the HNC hospital system, building rapport with local facilities, and providing education around patient needs can assist with smoother transitions and assurance of commitment to care plans. Enteral feedings

It is imperative to ensure discussion of medical and psychosocial considerations when deciding on nutritional interventions. Patients with Medicare coverage, for example,

Changes at the Dinner Table and Beyond

are held to strict guidelines surrounding approval of enteral feedings. Members of the medical, psychosocial, and nutrition teams must consider this when determining if patients are eligible for coverage. For all insurance types, clear documentation must be present because of risk for denial and delay. Documentation should include RDN and medical assessment of presence of the following: permanent nonfunction or disease of structures that permit food to reach the small bowel, dysphagia caused by tumor obstruction of the esophagus or sore throat from radiation esophagitis or mucositis, risk of aspiration, whether a patient has permanent impairment or requires tube feeding greater than 90 days, elevated caloric requirements (>2000 calories daily), and functional impairment of the gastrointestinal tract. If necessary, documentation from speech language pathology, including results of a swallowing study, should be included. For those whose insurance does not cover enteral feedings, options including involvement from community resources, hospital charity funds, pharmaceutical assistance programs, or discussions around alternative nutrition management should be explored. These complications can be frustrating and burdensome. Tracheostomy and laryngectomy

Tracheostomy placement is anxiety provoking because of the high level of care needed. Some patients require ongoing reassessment to determine if a tracheostomy is long-term, causing anxiety for patients and families hoping for consistency or return to routines. Similarly, patients with laryngectomies must adjust to home-care and selfmanagement, presenting logistical and emotional stressors. Patients and families faced with the prospect of such care vary in how they cope with these challenges. Although patients may understand the role and value of tracheostomy or laryngectomy care, some may become squeamish and/or intimidated by expectations placed on them by their team. When a realistic plan at home is unable to be established, shortor long-term placement in a subacute facility may be necessary. Tracheostomy and laryngectomy supplies, including portable rechargeable suction machines (for safe transportation home), must be anticipated before discharge and insurance limitations considered. Allied health professionals, such as case managers and/or nurses, should assist the team and work with patients and support systems to ensure coverage of supplies, locate contracted vendors, coordinate equipment ordering and delivery to patients before discharge to lessen barriers in obtaining supplies, and ensure proper teaching on use and care of equipment. Chemotherapy/immunotherapy and radiation

Some patients require radiation therapy alone, following surgery, and/or the addition of chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Both interventions add additional stressors, such as engagement with new medical teams; additional information to process around nature of treatment; decision-making; logistical considerations, such as transportation, child care, housing; employment-related items; and side effects. Medical oncology and radiation oncology teams should be available on initial consultation to provide education around services to decrease anxiety and improve long-term treatment planning. It is helpful for ancillary staff to be well versed in these interventions and potential obstacles, incorporating these items into assessments and better engaging with patients and families around the treatment plan, as a whole. Many of the barriers related to engagement of care and treatment planning are relevant, once again, when initiating engagement with medical oncology and radiation oncology services. Of particular concern are logistical obstacles given the nature of these treatment options. Radiation, for example, may require patients to attend

831

832

Madnick & Morasso

treatment daily. Although compliance to chemotherapy/immunotherapy treatments is important, effectiveness of radiation therapy is significantly compromised when treatment is missed or delayed. This should be communicated clearly with patients to ensure understanding of the value of compliance. Although initial assessments performed by HNC staff should be referenced, additional assessments around barriers to care and general patient education are essential in ensuring effective treatment. These assessments should include logistical emotional considerations, such as claustrophobia, concerns around aesthetics (discoloration of skin or loss of weight), perceptions around treatment, and fear of needles. Patients may benefit from touring treatment areas following patient education, allowing them to touch, see, and smell what is to come, clarify misconceptions, and decrease fear of the unknown. Ancillary staff should be available to deliver interventions, such as use of relaxation techniques, processing of feelings associated with these spaces, and validation of patient and family thoughts and concerns. Engagement with radiation and/or chemotherapy also presents obstacles around nourishment of patient nutritional needs. Both interventions, and preradiation surgical and dental treatments, can affect patient intake and processing. RDN staff should be available to monitor weight and nutrient levels and present appropriate interventions for improvement. Many patients who have not required enteral feedings or adjustments to oral diet may now need assistance. Changes in oral diet may include transition to liquid or soft diet to assist with swallowing and decrease risk for aspiration or use of foods with healing properties, such as papaya. Patients with difficulty maintaining caloric or nutrient intake may require use of liquid supplements. Of particular concern are patients who have lost 10% or more of their body weight in which enteral feeding may be recommended to ensure optimal processing of treatment and recovery. It is important to recognize and educate patients on psychosocial implications of these interventions and assist with navigation of systems affected by these treatment options. “Treatment for head and neck cancer may have a debilitating and lasting impact on a patient’s functional status, limiting their ability to work during and after treatment.”11 Compared with other cancer diagnoses, patients with HNC have a greater chance of job loss, livelihood, and ability to pay for basic living expenses and additional expenditures related to treatment. Penner discusses how any cancer diagnosis affects employability and productivity of patients and families and how complex treatment regimens, which patients with HNC often require, may interfere with daily employment responsibilities and roles.11 This may present not only significant financial burden but also emotional adjustment to changes in work-related identity. It is important to address patient concerns about financial wellbeing; acknowledge autonomy around employment-based decisions; and educate patients about rights in the workplace, private and state disability insurance, support for caregivers, such as Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and in-home support, and public assistance and/or community resources. Discomfort and poor health force some patients to adjust, lessen, or cease certain responsibilities in the workplace, potentially altering compensation, benefits, and other employer-based support mechanisms. These issues are of great importance to patients and families who worry about their ability to survive physically and maintain financial stability. It is important for the HNC team to acknowledge that financial implications, although logistical in nature, have an emotional impact even after completion of treatment, contributing to existing stress, anxiety, and sometimes depression. Use of resources, such as CaringBridge and MealTrain, allow patients to ask for help with logistical/financial items from the comfort and privacy of their home.

Changes at the Dinner Table and Beyond

Surveillance and Survivorship

It is important for the HNC team to inform patients and families of expectations around surveillance and monitoring of recovery/disease status and convey the value in patient care, acknowledging efforts from engagement in care through treatment. Patients may feel burdened with need for follow-up, especially given logistical and emotional considerations. HNC team members should acknowledge that completion of treatment does not equate to lack of medical and psychosocial stressors.12 Early education around role of HNC team, timeline, and plan following completion of treatment allows for preparation needed for appointments and processing of information provided during these visits. It is also important to acknowledge any anxiety related to follow-up, such as the return to unknowns and potential for bad news. In addition, patient anxiety around their status may result in frequent communication and scheduling attempts inconsistent with timeline and plan for evaluation. Assurance of engagement with specialists, such as pain/palliative services, and involvement of mental health professionals can assist with this transition, supporting patients with concrete and emotional adjustments to this piece of their illness trajectory. Because time between follow-up appointments is often longer than what patients desire, engagement with community resources, such as cancer support centers, support groups, peer programs, or eHealth resources, may be helpful. Connection with these resources can assist patients by promoting social engagement, providing a sense of unconditional community, space to transition to self-management, and assistance with reflection on their identity as a survivor.2,12 Gradually establishing identity with support from these mechanisms can promote healthy normalization of patient experiences, reflection on what diagnosis and treatment means to them, visualization of survivorship, and acquisition of tips on how to live a meaningful life after HNC. Patients seeking additional support or those residing in areas without quality support services may use online resources, such as blogs and forums, to obtain information and support. A particular challenge seen across the illness trajectory is patients who are lost to follow-up. Often these patients have identified barriers, such as mental illness, substance abuse, and homelessness; however, some may also be struggling with emotional implications of diagnosis, treatment, and overall HNC experience. Logistical barriers, such as transportation, distance from facility, and difficulty navigating insurance, may also affect ability to maintain proper follow-up. Anecdotally, some of these patients return when the cancer has progressed, limiting treatment options. Reengagement should involve all members of the HNC team for reassessment of medical and psychosocial context, effective treatment planning, or discussion of palliative/ end-of-life options. ADDITIONAL AREAS TO BE CONSIDERED ACROSS THE ILLNESS TRAJECTORY Communication

Many patients with HNC must cope with changes in communication abilities even on presentation of symptoms. Difficulty with speech is seen in patients with glossectomy or partial glossectomy, or other changes in their oral cavity, ear, nose, throat, and lips after surgery or chemoradiation. These challenges add additional obstacles to adjust to or overcome, especially because of the importance of communication with health care teams, support system, and general need for socialization. Patients may require someone to assist with communication throughout all stages of care, even if it is believed they will return to independence. Use of alternative communication techniques, such as notebooks, whiteboards, and tablets, in the inpatient and outpatient

833

834

Madnick & Morasso

setting acknowledge the impact of communicative obstacles while empowering patients to express themselves and maintain their role in their care. These interventions should also be encouraged in the home to decrease isolation and allow for openness with family, friends, and other members of the patient’s support network. Social Isolation

Some patients experience or self-impose isolation from their support systems because of the physiologic and emotional effects of treatment. “The effects of disease and treatment often cannot be concealed by patients with HNC, making those who suffer from facial disfigurement vulnerable to distress, intimacy issues, social isolation, stigma, and untoward behavior from others.”2 Carlson13 discusses a University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine study exploring social isolation in patients with HNC, described as having two components, loneliness and lack of social support. In this study, patients with high levels of perceived social isolation, as compared with those with adequate social support, exhibited decrease in medication compliance, increased missed appointments, and longer inpatient stays. Financial burdens were also greater. Penner12 proposes that although a continuum of emotional reactions is normal in the coping process, some patients may exhibit unhealthy coping strategies that result in isolation and depression. Consistent with Carlson’s study, Penner12 also links isolation and loneliness with depression and financial burden. Social isolation, identified early, can prevent or lessen many obstacles. Assistance with concrete services, such as transportation, linkage to support groups, and engagement with a social worker or psychologist on engagement in care, can serve as an improved social support system. Recommendations across various media types, such as the Mayo Clinic’s “Living with Cancer” blog, include tips that can be applied on initial consultation. Suggestions, such as seeking support virtually, making plans when one has the most energy, and limiting engagement to activities with one or two friends instead of a large party, provide realistic ways to maintain connections with much needed support within realistic boundaries of patient health status.14 Of particular concern are patients who present or become isolated because of diagnosis and treatment. Although the cause of isolation may vary from personality characteristics, to depression, dysfunctional family dynamics, and family estrangement, these patients present significant risk factors for treatment and recovery and require support of allied health professionals to assist with coordination of appointments, navigating resources, and ensuring basic needs, such as housing and adequate nutrition. Smoking and Alcohol

It is known that smoking and drinking are risk factors for developing HNC. “Continued use of these substances beyond diagnosis complicates treatment, confers greater risk of recurrence or developing a second primary tumor, and ultimately impacts survival.”2 On diagnosis and mobilization to fight disease, it is an ideal time to engage and educate patients about the impact of these behaviors on their health, specifically cancer. Initial assessment of smoking and alcohol use presents a teachable moment when patients may be more receptive and motivated to change. Because these behaviors serve often as coping strategies, however dysfunctional, there may be increased reliance in the face of fear and distress.11 Cancer Care and Palliative Care

There is increasing recognition that separation of cancer care and palliative care, with palliative care offered only at the end of life, is no longer acceptable. This limited model fails to account for symptoms existing before diagnosis, through the trajectory of

Changes at the Dinner Table and Beyond

cancer, which can be addressed and palliated early on, regardless of whether a patient’s cancer is considered curable. “Palliative care is a philosophy of care that has evolved into an integral part of the care of patients with cancer regardless of age, diagnosis, or life expectancy and engages actively in the management of patients with complex physical and psychological concerns to assist them with adopting effective coping strategies and live fulfilling lives.”11 Advance Care Planning Along the Illness Continuum

Neil Wenger15, Director of the UCLA Health System Ethics Center, suggests “.advance care planning conversations about what patients want at the end of life, and how they want to make choices to achieve their goals, need to occur for every seriously ill patient.” Ahluwalia and colleagues16 discuss the importance of initiating care-planning discussions as early as possible, particularly when patients are diagnosed with advanced cancer, demonstrating the value of multidisciplinary involvement in the earliest stages of patient care. Patients require time to process and accept their prognosis before considering the range of care options available to them at end of life. Patients faced with HNC, like all patients with life-threatening illness, have an opportunity to explore their values and goals as they make health care decisions and reflect on situations when they might not be able to make decisions on their own behalf. Diagnosis presents an ideal opportunity for these discussions, addressing acceptable health care states, and what patients are willing to endure to continue living. All patients should be encouraged to partner with their HNC team to complete advance directives and POLST forms clarifying their wishes and communicating with loved ones. For patients without families or close support systems, this partnership can assist them in making decisions about who they could best trust to be their agent. Engaging patients early in the decision-making and treatment planning process provides an opportunity for discussion of goals of care and a foundation on which to have these dialogues when treatments are not working or a cancer recurs. In providing patient-centered care, it is essential that one consider nourishment of patient autonomy and empowerment around end of life and what to offer patients when curative options are no longer viable. Patients deserve to know they will not be abandoned by the medical team in this stage of life, and that there are palliative care and hospice teams whose primary role is to relieve suffering. REFERENCES

1. Epstein RM, Street RL. The values and value of patient-centered care. Ann Fam Med 2011;9(2):100–3. 2. Howren MB, Christensen AJ, Karnell LH, et al. Psychological factors associated with head and neck cancer treatment and survivorship: evidence and opportunities for behavioral medicine. J Consult Clin Psychol 2013;81(2): 299–317. 3. Wu Y-S, Lin P-Y, Chien C-Y, et al. Anxiety and depression in patients with head and neck cancer: 6-month follow-up study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2016;12: 1029–36. 4. Winkler MF. 2009 Lenna Frances Cooper Memorial Lecture: living with enteral and parenteral nutrition: how food and eating contribute to quality of life. J Am Diet Assoc 2010;110(2):169–77. 5. Meule A, Vo¨gele C. The psychology of eating. Front Psychol 2013;4. http://dx.doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00215.

835

836

Madnick & Morasso

6. Meyers S, Ott MJ. Mindful eating as a clinical intervention for survivors of head and neck cancer: interdisciplinary collaboration and strategies to improve oral intake. Top Clin Nutr 2008;23(4):340–6. 7. Britton B, McCarter K, Baker A, et al. Eating As Treatment (EAT) study protocol: a stepped-wedge, randomised controlled trial of a health behaviour change intervention provided by dietitians to improve nutrition in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy. BMJ Open 2015;5(7):e008921. 8. Vakharia KT, Ali MJ, Wang SJ. Quality-of-life impact of participation in a head and neck cancer support group. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2007;136(3):405–10. 9. Richardson AE, Morton RP, Broadbent EA. Illness perceptions and coping predict post-traumatic stress in caregivers of patients with head and neck cancer. Support Care Cancer 2016;24(10):4443–50. 10. Aaronson NK, Mattioli V, Minton O, et al. Beyond treatment: psychosocial and behavioural issues in cancer survivorship research and practice. EJC Suppl 2014; 12(1):54–64. 11. Penner JL. Psychosocial care of patients with head and neck cancer. Semin Oncol Nurs 2009;25(3):231–41. 12. Ussher J, Kirsten L, Butow P, et al. What do cancer support groups provide which other supportive relationships do not? The experience of peer support groups for people with cancer. Soc Sci Med 2006;62(10):2565–76. 13. Carlson RH. Head & neck cancer patients face social isolation, financial burdens. Available at: http://journals.lww.com/oncologytimes/pages/articleviewer. aspxyear=2016&issue=04250&article=00009&type=Fulltext. Accessed May 5, 2017. 14. Cancer Expert Blog - Mayo Clinic. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/ diseases-conditions/cancer/expert-blog/con-20032378. Accessed November 2, 2016. 15. UCLA Health. New law opens door to conversation about end-of-life issues. Available at: https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url5https%3A%2F%2Fwww. uclahealth.org%2FWorkfiles%2Fvitalsigns%2FVital-Signs_FA16.pdf&data501% 7C01%7Camadnick%40mednet.ucla.edu%7Cc96086c5f6794ce3f8e108d493e8f6 a8%7C39c3716b64714fd5ac04a7dbaa32782b%7C0&sdata5llVYoYjestgshYNAD 2NAK4tT5K6UfpXjrmQE6FUP%2Bas%3D&reserved50. Accessed March 30, 2017. 16. Ahluwalia SC, Tisnado DM, Walling AM, et al. Association of early patientphysician care planning discussions and end-of-life care intensity in advanced cancer. J Palliat Med 2015;18(10):834–41.

Changes at the Dinner Table and Beyond: Nourishing Our Patients Throughout the Trajectory of Their Cancer Journey.

Patients with head and neck cancers (HNC) can experience significant distress from presentation of symptoms to surveillance/survivorship and end-of-li...
172KB Sizes 0 Downloads 7 Views